WEDNESDAY UPDATES: Boone County active cases highest since March 21
The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services is reporting 23 new COVID-19 cases.
There are currently 87 active cases in the county, an 18 case increase from Tuesday.
The county now has a reported total number of COVID-19 cases of 17,994.
The county has reported the total number of cases removed from isolation is 17,822.
The county continues to trend down as there have been 69 straight days of single or double-digit case increases.
The State of Missouri coronavirus vaccine dashboard is reporting that 65,327 residents have received their first dose in Boone County.
The county has the largest percentage of people in Mid-Missouri that have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 36.2%.
Cole County has the second-highest first vaccination rate in Mid-Missouri with 29%. Saline County is third with 28.6%.
State health department reports 400+ new COVID-19 cases
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported more than 400 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.
The department's COVID-19 dashboard said the pandemic total of cases confirmed through PCR testing went up to 491,900 on Wednesday -- an increase of 458 from the day before.
Probable COVID-19 cases from antigen testing went up as well. The pandemic total of probable cases was 89,264 on Wednesday, an increase of 359 in the last 24 hours.
Since March, the health department has not confirmed a caseload of more than 1,000 in a single day. Through the fall and winter of 2020, daily case totals soared with many reports coming in well over 1,000.
Data included that virus-related deaths since the pandemic started went up one to 8,509. Virus-related deaths have dropped off in recent weeks, the dashboard said six were reported over the week ending on Sunday.
Missouri continues to vaccinate state residents against the coronavirus. As of Wednesday, more than 2.8 million doses have been administered. It includes 1.7 million residents having initiated vaccination and 1.1 million who have completed it.
The dashboard said 36.2% of Boone Countians have initiated vaccination as of Wednesday -- the highest rate among all of Missouri's 114 counties.
Boone Health to hold vaccine clinic at the Columbia Mall, appointments still available
Boone Health officials say there are still open appointments for a coronavirus vaccine event on Friday.
A release from the hospital said any state resident older than 16 is eligible to sign-up for the event being held at the Columbia Mall from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Appointments have to be made with the hospital in order to receive a shot of vaccine. The website had 74 available vaccine time slots as of Wednesday morning.
The announcement said Pfizer's two-dose vaccine will be given out at the clinic.
The sign-up page for the event said those attending need to wear a mask, bring a photo ID, wear clothing that allows easy access to the upper arm and your vaccine card if you're receiving a second dose.
